Sophisticated electronic devices such as computers, facsimile machines and copiers are commonly used in the business environment, and increasingly in the home environment. In the business environment, installation of electronic devices is frequently performed by trained personnel equipped with any necessary tools. In the home environment, cost considerations often require that electronic devices be installable by the average consumer to reduce the costs associated with professional installation. As a result, electronic devices used in the home require simplicity of installation for widespread consumer acceptance.
In general, many electronic devices are self-contained and thus do not require professional installation in either the home or the business environment. Computer networks are one notable exception. Typically, such networks require installation of appropriate wiring, together with specialized electronic devices to ensure proper network operation. Pending U.S. patent application entitled "HOME AREA NETWORK SYSTEM AND METHOD" (Ser. No. 08/924,449), filed on Aug. 28, 1997, which is assigned to the assignee of the present application describes a local area network which may be used within a home using existing Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) wiring at a customer premises. As described in the aforesaid patent application, such a system advantageously allows conventional POTS wiring, which is already installed in the home, to be used for both conventional call sending and receiving and at the same time to be used for computer networking. As further described in the aforesaid patent application, a passive low pass filter may be located at the Telephone Network Interface (TNI) at the demarcation between the subscriber loop and the customer premises to improve network performance.
Installation of a local area network in the home such as described in the aforesaid patent application would be greatly simplified and therefore far more desirable for potential users and customers if the aforesaid filter could easily be installed without the use of tools or specialized knowledge. Other types of filters or electrical devices would also benefit from such features.